haitifandomcom-20200215-history
San Fernando de Monte Cristi
San Fernando de Monte Cristi, or simply Monte-Cristi, is a city in northwestern Dominican Republic. It is the principal city of the Monte Cristi Province. Monte Cristi was founded by Nicolás de Ovando in 1506 and resettled on April 25, 1879, as a Marine District, and then, in November of 1907 as a provincial capital. History Although it seems strange, due to its scarce current economic activity, Montecristi had a boom period in the last quarter of the 19th century (1800s). "The city was at the forefront of many of the advances that make life easier: the first aqueduct, first railway and telephone." The great task of diverting the course of the Yaque del Norte river, which had lost its initial course during the cataclysm of 1802," explains Professor Mariana Aguilera in her work Apuntes para una Historia de Montecristi. Montecristi was a prosperous city, attracting people not only from Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata and other communities, but also foreigners (English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Americans, South Americans and islanders from the other Antilles); "consulates of the most important countries worked". "The progress of Montecristi was due - Professor Aguilera points out - among other factors to the existence of Casa Jiménez, whose owners were linked to established businesses in Europe..." "Especially Germany experienced a boom in its technical and industrial development, the textile industry and others needed the raw materials that exist in the wild in the Dominican Republic ( Campeche, guatapanal, aroma, etc.) and others such as honey, skins, wax, etc. they opened a very active export market, which was completed with the import market, consisting of manufactured products (fabrics, machines, earthenware, zinc, shoes, etc.). " The Jiménez House was property, mainly, of Juan Isidro Jiménez, that soon would arrive at the presidency of the Republic (1899 and in 1911); her sister Mrs. Emilia Jiménez and her husband, Rafael Rodríguez Camargo. These two brothers were the sons of Manuel Jiménez, who was the second president of the nation, in 1849. Rodríguez Camargo was the son of Ramón Rodríguez (El Gallego) and María Rosa Camargo. His family was "one of the richest not only of Montecristi, but of the country". Another important businessman in Montecristi was the Spaniard Antonio Espín, who obtained the concession to bring the first locomotive to the country and use it in transporting trunks (sleepers) from Campeche to the port. Other families had well established businesses, including Rivas. And to the home of one of its members, Román, "according to versions, bags filled with money (ounces of gold, etc.) arrived every day". "The port had so much activity - it is added in Notes for a History of Montecristi - that was considered among the first three in the country." To ease the distances, many residents lived next to the sea, on today's Juan de Bolaños beach, where a town existed, with its streets, stores, and billiards, etc. " The economic decline of Montecristi began with the decrease in the demand for these raw materials in Europe, difficulties of the Casa Jiménez, which the dictator Lilís forced to escape from the hands of his political rival, Juan Isidro Jiménez, and then the problems derived from the First World War. Professor Aguilera considers it important to remember these events, not for the Montecristeños "to rest on the progress of the past, but to consider that what was yesterday can be repeated, so that more than 100 years can be experienced again a positive transformation" . Manifesto of Montecristi An important milestone in the history of Montecristi was the signing of the Manifesto of Montecristi, an official document of the Cuban Revolutionary Party in which the ideas on which José Martí was based to organize the Cuban War of Independence in 1895 are exposed. It was signed by José Martí and Máximo Gómez on March 25, 1895 in the town of Montecristi (Dominican Republic). Geography Weather The climate of the Monte Cristi is semi-arid with an average temperature of 26.5°C (79.7°F) and an average annual precipitation of 700 mm (28 inches). The average evaporation is 1800 mm (71 inches), explaining the great water deficit in the area. The trade winds that blow from the northeast mainly influence the area. Precipitation is highest in the eastern part of the park where the winds collide with the Northern Cordillera and discharge their waters. The same applies to the Manzanillo area. The same winds collide with the Cordillera Central and its prolongation Massif du Nord in Haiti. The effect is felt mostly in the foothills near Loma de Cabrera and Dajabón, but also, to a lesser degree, in Manzanillo. Hurricanes and tropical storms have little impact on the Montecristi area, however, their rains can cause floods and overflows in the Yaque del Norte River, also affecting its mouth. The sediments that the river brings also affect the reefs of the area. During the winter, some cold fronts arrive from North America, with low temperatures and strong northerly winds. The phenomenon of the sea bottom is also common: cold currents that come down from the Arctic via the seabed and emerge when they collide with the insular platform. References Encyclopedia http://enciclopediadominicana.org/Municipio_San_Fernando_de_Montecristi Category:Dominican Republic Category:Dominican Republic Towns Category:Monte-Christi Province